


Sweet dreams

by Hotaru_Tomoe



Series: Bullets [13]
Category: Chernobyl (TV 2019)
Genre: Cuddles, Insomnia, M/M, Sharing a Bed, Valoris
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-28 02:34:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20418458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hotaru_Tomoe/pseuds/Hotaru_Tomoe
Summary: Due to a thunderstorm, Boris stops to sleep at Valery's house, and the two have to share the small bed.





	Sweet dreams

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elenatria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elenatria/gifts).

> Written for this beautiful [ drawing](https://elenatria.tumblr.com/post/187281879763) by ElenaTria (that you can see at the beginning of the story), whose art is always a great source of inspiration.

"And with this we are done, everything is ready."

Boris closes the notepad and puts it on the table.

Valery sighs with relief and rubs his neck: he hates the recurring meetings at the Kremlin to illustrate the progress of the liquidation. As if the men in that building did care about what’s happening in Chernobyl.

The only one who cares is Boris, who stopped by his apartment to help him tidy up his notes in a report that makes sense.

He also cooked a delicious dinner for them, and they chatted in a relaxed atmosphere; thanks to Boris, Valery managed to get his mind off the tragedy a few hours.

He realizes that Boris is watching him, and he has been watching him for an inconvenient time, so he looks down and clears his throat.

"Thanks for everything, Boris, I don't know what I'd do without you."

"And without you, at Chernobyl we would still discussing how to put out the fire in the reactor. You can always count on me, Valera, for... for whatever you need," he adds, after a beat, then he gets up to leave.

It's dark outside; a look at the clock tells Valery it's much later than he thought, it's almost midnight. Also, at some point in the evening it started to rain and now is pouring.

"Is your driver waiting for you in the car?" Valery asks to Boris.

"No, I sent him away, I didn't know how long I'd stay here."

"And how will you get home?"

"Mother Nature has given me two working legs."

"At this time and with this weather?" Valery knows that soon the radiation will start to affect Boris' body. So, even if he’s fine for now fine, he can’t afford to take an illness.

"It's just rain."

"No, not a chance!” Valery is shy and submissive, but when it’s necessary he can be stubborn, and this is one of those occasions.

"What do you suggest, then?"

"Sleep here, in my bed."

Going to the bathroom, Boris saw Valery's room: the bed is small even for one person, and there is no guest room.

"And where will you sleep?"

"Here."

"On this dollhouse sofa? You can't even stretch your legs. No way, I’ll take the sofa." The problem is that Boris can be equally stubborn: they could stall all night long, standing their ground.

"Boris, you are my guest, I can't let you sleep here."

"Then you won't sleep here either."

Valery rubs his face: "It doesn't matter, really, I won't sleep."

Boris frowns and takes a step towards him: he is always very careful that Valery never skips meals and that he rests, but he looks tired.

"Insomnia?"

"Yes, between the radiation and my thoughts, it's normal, I really find it hard to sleep."

Boris also suffers from insomnia when he’s in Chernobyl, but he takes sleeping pills.

"Why don't you get yourself prescribed something?"

"I did it, but they don't work."

"Valera, you must rest, otherwise you will collapse!" Boris scolds him.

"It’s not that I don't want to sleep, I can't," he replies in a rude tone, except he regrets it immediately. Why does he behave like this? Boris is just worried about him. "Sorry…" he sighs, "sorry..."

Boris puts his hands on his shoulders: "Don’t worry, I understand the weight you are carrying," he says, and begins to gently massage Valery’s shoulders with his big, strong hands, "I would just like to make it lighter for you somehow."

Valery closes his eyes: Boris' massage is pleasant and is calming his tense nerves. It's not just his hands, it's his very presence that comforts him and makes him feel better.

Boris rubs his neck, and Valery unconsciously rests his forehead on his shoulder, "... ‘s nice," he mutters sleepily, but immediately opens his eyes, panicked: what the hell is he doing? He tries to move away, but Boris's hands hold him back.

"Boris... I..."

"Hush, relax. I believe I’ve just found a solution to your insomnia and also to our bed dilemma."

"And what would it be?"

"Sleep together."

"Wu-what?" Valery jerks his head up: Boris isn't joking, he's deadly serious. "But... but... but..."

"Stop fidgeting." He hugs Valery tightly, bringing his head back on his shoulder, "does it make you feel better?"

It makes him feel embarrassed to death but, yes, he feels so good in Boris' arms, so he nods slowly.

"Then it's decided."

"Always the pragmatic."

"I solve problems."

Boris walks confidently towards the bedroom, as if he were the host and not the guest, as if he had been in Valery's apartment since forever. It’s not like that, and it can’t be, but for one night he’s allowed to dream.

Boris takes off his jacket and shoes, and then does something that Valery has never seen him do: he takes off his tie. It's strange, it's almost like seeing him naked.

"I've never seen you without a tie." The words slip out of his mouth before Valery can stop them.

"It's been years since anyone saw me without it."

He hints at a solitary life, similar to his.

"I would give you one of my pajamas, but I'm afraid it's too small for you."

"Don't worry, I’ll sleep like this."

Boris knows that Valery is awkward about having to share the bed with him, sleeping naked is too long a step (just for now, he hopes).

Valery changes, wearing pajama pants and one of those hideous undershirts, so wide that it slips down his shoulders.

"I bought the wrong size," Valery mumbles.

"Ah, Valerka..." Boris shakes his head and smiles.

The bed is small and there can be no discussion about their position: Boris lies down behind Valery, chest to back, his nose grazing his nape, one arm under his head and the other resting on Valery's side, his knees lean against the back of Valery's.

Valery thinks he should feel more uncomfortable: he hasn't shared a bed with someone for years, but with Boris it's natural: the warmth of his back is comfortable, his breath on his hair is a gentle caress, and their bodies are like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

He wants to find a way to tell him, he wants Boris to know how much he’s important to him, how much he make him feel good.

Boris slips his hand on Valery’s chest.

"Okay?" He whispers.

Thoughtful, he is always so thoughtful.

"Yes,” Valery whispers, "I don't think I'll have trouble sleeping tonight."

"Wonderful."

"Boris?"

"Hn?"

"Before... when I said I don't know what I'd do without you... I wasn’t... just talking about work," he whispers.

Boris' lips touch his neck with so much sweetness that for an instant Valery is on the verge of tears.

"Good," it’s all that Boris says, and Valery feels his smile on his skin.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. Now sleep Valera, rest. "

Valery puts his hand on Boris’ and intertwines their fingers. A few minutes later his breathing became slower and deeper, finally he fell asleep.

Only then, Boris closes his eyes.

He won't let Valery's hand go until morning.


End file.
